


The Hitchhiker

by Rainsong



Series: Loose Ends [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bisexual Poe Dameron, F/F, Multi, No Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Present Tense, Road Trips, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22308751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainsong/pseuds/Rainsong
Summary: On a supply mission with Poe and BB-8, Chewie picks up a hitchhiker: Judith Landarr, Corellian aerospace engineer. Poe finds in Judith a new friend, some much needed-advice about his feelings for Rey and Finn, and an unexpected solution to the Falcon's mechanical problems.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Poe Dameron & Original Female Character, Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey
Series: Loose Ends [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605751
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> **Trigger warnings:** Explicit language, discussion of war, animal death.

I know it's not typical to have a formal introduction to a fic rather than author's notes, but this fic has an atypical format to begin with.

This story has been rattling around for a while in my head and my notebook. I started writing it as a script, as I tend to do lately, and it simply wouldn't translate to a more narrative text, so I kept it as a one-act play. I highly doubt this would work in any way as an actual play, but it's the format this one wanted to be in. I bet it could be a very fun podfic, though! Maybe it's the influence of Ian Doescher's _William Shakespeare's Star Wars_, or just the fact that I'm a theatre major who hasn't written much else other than a one-act play and essays about plays for the last four years... In any case, I'm getting back into it! This one just wanted to be a play.

Judith is a character I've been writing for far longer than I've been a _Star Wars_ fan. She initially came to life as a secondary character in a gigantic crossover universe I was writing about constantly in high school. It was a surprisingly coherent crossover of Sherlock, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Supernatural, and Merlin, titled _Infinity and Wanderlust_. Judith and Sibylle were some of the best friends of the main characters, Mira and Hal Holmes-Watson. As I moved away from that universe, some of the characters stuck with me. You'll also find Judith as the protagonist of the second fic I ever posted to AO3, [The Lights That Pass Overhead](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1875378). I haven't written anything about her since then, because I couldn't figure out where she belonged, but I was reminded of her recently when I was thinking of hitchhikers in the _Star Wars_ universe, and then this narrative came to me. I wanted to write about Poe working through his feelings for Finn and Rey, and someone like Judith seemed like the perfect catalyst. Fun fact: her faceclaim is Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and I chose her long before San Junipero was a thing.

There's a nod in here to a great fic I read recently: [Fonder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6510361) by disco_vendetta. I won't reinvent the wheel when there's already such a great work that explains how Poe fell in love with Rey! As far as I'm concerned, it's canon in my AU.

This work is intended to be part of a series I'm working on, but it can also be a standalone.

Finally, I'd like to thank Kanan, my lore guru and beta reader, my pals Sky and Ella, who have been very validating towards my new hyperfixation on writing _Star Wars_ fanfiction, and my cat Stanley Balthazar Jones who has been very sweetly watching me write this introduction and is currently trying to steal my pizza.

\--Rain

* * *

CHARACTERS

**Poe Dameron** (he/him), a human pilot of the Resistance, American accent

**Chewbacca “Chewie”** (he/him), a wookiee warrior and Poe’s current co-pilot

**BB-8** (he/him), Poe’s astromech droid

**Judith Landarr** (she/her), a human mechanical engineer and hitchhiker, English accent

a few **loth-cats**

an **Eriaduan rat**

NOTE

Chewbacca’s lines are delivered in Shyriiwook, understood by Poe, Judith, and BB-8.

BB-8’s lines are delivered in Binary, understood by Poe and Judith.

Translations into Basic of both languages are provided.


	2. Scene 1

_The _Millennium Falcon_, a heavily modified YT-1300f light freighter, is currently stopped on Bandomeer (O-6, Bandomeer system, Meerian sector, Outer Rim Territories, at the intersection of the Hydian Way and Braxant run) for refuelling. Its pilot, Poe Dameron, and his astromech droid BB-8 are returning to the cockpit from a walk around._

_Poe sits in the pilot’s seat as Chewbacca, the co-pilot, and Judith, a stranger, come running in. Chewbacca sits in the co-pilot’s seat, Judith stands behind them._

_Judith is a black human woman, in her early thirties. She’s dressed halfway between space hitchhiker and mechanic: work boots, scarf or buff, hair tied back, silver wedding band and thumb ring, a blaster pistol on her belt, and a large backpack with a dirty towel tied to the straps, which she drops on the floor._

CHEWBACCA  
_We have to go. Turn on the engines._

POE  
Who the hell is this?

CHEWBACCA  
_She can help us but we have to go, now!_ _(switching on engines)_

POE  
Did you pick up a hitchhiker, Chewie?

CHEWBACCA  
_We made a deal!_

JUDITH  
Quid pro quo. I’m headed to Er’Kit. I won’t get in your way.

CHEWBACCA  
_We won’t make it back on the backup._

POE  
We’ll make it there on time. We just need to work on the hyperdrive a bit longer.

CHEWBACCA  
_If _I_ couldn’t find the problem, _you_ certainly won’t._

JUDITH  
I’m an engineer. Let me take a look.

POE  
Hang on just a second. Why the rush?

CHEWBACCA  
_Don’t look at me._

JUDITH  
Hitchhiking’s illegal here. Cops aren’t easy to make friends with.

CHEWBACCA  
_Let’s go!_ _(taking off without Poe’s help)_

POE  
BB-8, search her bag. Chewie, she could be trying to blow us up.

BB-8  
_(electronically scans it; after a moment:)_ _No explosives, weapons, or trackers._

POE  
Good.

JUDITH  
_(moving aside her jacket)_ Look, I’ve got a personal radio and a blaster pistol for self-defence, that’s it. You can search me. My name’s Judith Landarr, I’m from Corellia, and I’m an aerospace engineer. I’m not with the First Order. I can fix your hyperdrive if you can take me to Er’Kit.

POE  
Why are you going to Er’Kit?

JUDITH  
It’s not Bandomeer. I’m meeting up with a friend.

CHEWBACCA  
_I trust her._

JUDITH  
Thank you. I trust you, too.

POE  
Are you working for anyone?

JUDITH  
Not at the moment. I’m not a mercenary, if that’s what you think. Who do _you_ work for? You’re with the Resistance, right?

POE  
Yeah.

JUDITH  
Where are you going?

POE  
That’s classified.

JUDITH  
Right. Sorry.

_The _Falcon_ is leaving Bandomeer’s atmosphere at a snail’s pace without a working hyperdrive._

POE  
Fine. We’ll get you to Er’Kit. What do you need?

JUDITH  
Some tools, maybe. Gotta figure out what the problem is, first.

CHEWBACCA  
_The hyperdrive seems to be fine. I don’t get it._

JUDITH  
Hm. If the hyperdrive is working normally, maybe the problem is somewhere else. I’ll have a look.

_Judith exits. Poe signals for BB-8 to follow her as he and Chewbacca pilot the ship._

POE  
Since when do we pick up hitchhikers, Chewie?

CHEWBACCA  
_I had an instinct. She’s okay._

POE  
She could be a spy from the First Order.

CHEWBACCA  
_She’s a pretty useless spy if she is._

POE  
I guess. I hope you’re right.

_They fly in near-silence for at least a minute, interspersed with the sounds of Judith opening and closing grates and panels in the background with a few beeps from BB-8. By the time they return, Bandomeer is a large globe beside them._

JUDITH  
Your friend is right, the hyperdrive itself is perfectly fine. Can I check the wiring in here?

POE  
Go ahead.

JUDITH  
_(crawling under the console and opening a metal panel) _Can I get your names, or are those classified, too?

CHEWBACCA  
_I’m Chewbacca._

JUDITH  
Nice to meet you, Chewbacca.

POE  
Poe. This is BB-8.

JUDITH  
We already met. I’m Judith. _(beat)_ Ha. Figures.

POE  
What?

JUDITH  
Something chewed through the wiring to the main hyperdrive. The backup is still working but it’s fragile.

POE  
Shit. Can you fix it?

JUDITH  
Do you have some spare wires?

CHEWBACCA  
_No._

JUDITH  
Then your options are using the backup as is, or I can try and switch the wiring to the main hyperdrive. That runs the risk of breaking it altogether, though.

POE  
What do you think, Chewie?

CHEWBACCA  
_Switch it._

POE  
Yeah. Worst-case, we’re a few hours out in realspace from the nearest planet with a service station, or we can turn back to Bandomeer. Okay. Try and switch it.

CHEWBACCA  
_(yawning)_ _I’m gonna take a nap._

POE  
Chewie—

_Exit Chewbacca. Judith works under the console with BB-8’s help while Poe pilots the _Falcon_. It’s easy-going, but the cockpit is awkwardly quiet._

JUDITH  
How long have you had a rat problem?

POE  
Never noticed it before. We must have picked them up earlier on our trip. We landed in a few shipping yards.

JUDITH  
That’ll do it. Keep an eye out for them.

POE  
So, Corellia, huh? You built ships?

JUDITH  
Yeah. Mostly cruisers and light freighters like this one. I’ve never seen such a cobbled together YT-1300 before.

POE  
The _Falcon_’s been through a lot of modifications.

JUDITH  
_(lifting her head to look at him)_ This is the _Millennium Falcon_?! The smuggler ship from the war?

POE  
Yeah.

JUDITH  
_(quietly)_ Do you know Luke Skywalker?

POE  
I didn’t know him personally. The ship belongs to General Organa and the Resistance at the moment.

JUDITH  
I’ve thought of joining the Resistance myself.

POE  
You should, if you’re as good an engineer as you say you are.

JUDITH  
_(a moment)_ I can’t sign up until I know my family is safe.

POE  
Where are they?

JUDITH  
My brother and his kids are on Chandrila. He’s a civil engineer. Our parents live with him. But my wife is still on Corellia.

POE  
I’m sorry. What happened?

JUDITH  
First Order showed up. We had a chance to get out, but they could only take one of us. Sibylle’s a chef, we figured she would be safe, but I knew they would either force me to build ships for them or kill me for refusing.

POE  
How long have you been apart?

JUDITH  
Nearly four years.

POE  
You’ve been hitchhiking that long?

JUDITH  
It’s a bit of a wild goose chase, but I’m trying to find a way to get her off Corellia. Lots of favours and odd jobs. _(a few moments go by)_ Kriff, there’s rat shit in here. Has the Resistance run out of ship’s cats?!

POE  
Chewie’s not a fan of cats.

JUDITH  
S’pose a wookiee can eat rats just as well. The guy I’m meeting on Er’Kit breeds loth-cats, though, if you’re interested.

POE  
Why are you going there, again? It’s a desert.

JUDITH  
I owe him a favour. And he knows a guy who can maybe get in touch with my brother. I haven’t heard from him in a while, and he worries about me.

POE  
What’s your brother’s name?

JUDITH  
Jonah Landarr. Works for the New Republic’s civil engineering office.

POE  
If anyone heads out to Chandrila, I’ll let him know you’re safe and trying to reach him.

JUDITH  
Thank you. Any of yours I should watch out for?

POE  
_(thinks about it)_ No.

JUDITH  
Handsome guy like you doesn’t have anyone to hold?

POE  
No one outside the Resistance.

JUDITH  
But there is someone…?

POE  
_(checks that Chewbacca isn’t listening)_ Two someones. Two very good friends whom I have no business being in love with.

JUDITH  
Wanna talk about it?

POE  
_(chuckles)_ Aerospace engineer and therapist?

JUDITH  
I’m a gal of many talents. And this wiring is gonna take at least another fifteen minutes.

POE  
How’s it going?

JUDITH  
Slowly. But fine so far.

POE  
I can’t believe we have rats. Of all the problems…

JUDITH  
You need a loth-cat! So, spill. Two someones?

POE  
_(sighs, looks at BB-8, then back out the window; a little awkwardly:)_ I met Finn first. He saved my life.

JUDITH  
Promising start.

POE  
I was captured by the First Order. He was a stormtrooper. We escaped together, but crashed on Jakku, and I thought he was dead. But in the meantime, he met Rey. She’s… Well, she’s special. Never met anyone like her—or like Finn. We got to know each other while Finn was in the sick bay. She… _(pulls out an interesting, sparkly rock Rey gave him from his coat pocket and holds it up to the light. Judith sees this.)_ She’s something else. Like, a force of nature. And Finn is… He’s like living sunshine. I’ve never felt like this about anyone else before. And… _(searching for words, gives up)_ They’re such good _friends_…

JUDITH  
Therein lies the problem.

POE  
Yeah.

JUDITH  
_(thinks for a moment)_ Not sure if this is reassuring or not, but Sibylle and I were best friends for over a decade before I told her I was in love with her. Like, 24 and living together as two single roommates, going as platonic dates to our friends’ weddings. You can’t do worse than that.

POE  
That’s kind of sweet. When did you get married?

JUDITH  
About a year after that. We’ve… Kriff, we’ve been apart for almost as long as we’ve been married.

POE  
I’m sorry. You’ll find her again.

JUDITH  
You’d better do your job and kick some First Order ass, then. Wait. No. Tap some ass? Hot stormtrooper saved your life, right?

POE  
Ha.

JUDITH  
He is hot, though?

POE  
We’re in the middle of a war.

JUDITH  
All the more reason to throw caution to the wind. You could die tomorrow, why die with unspoken feelings? You and the stormtrooper and the rock girl could be happy, and that’s tough to find in a war.

POE  
That’s a good point. I guess I’m scared of upsetting the balance.

JUDITH  
_(looking up at him, seriously)_ Listen. Poe. You gotta take that chance. How long have you been in love with them?

POE  
Finn, since we met. Rey, a few days in.

JUDITH  
Those kinds of connections are never one-sided. I bet you twenty credits they’re in love with you, too. There’s something on their end sustaining the fire.

POE  
I dunno, you’ve never met them…

JUDITH  
Fair. But you, my friend, sure as hell have stars in your eyes for them. You’re lucky. Not everyone gets that, and even fewer with two people.

POE  
How did you know? With your wife?

JUDITH  
There wasn’t a moment. It was, like, a slow awareness, and then by the time I could put it into words I was too far gone. And it still took me years to tell her. You gotta do better than me, mate.

BB-8  
_She’s right._

JUDITH  
I am right. You know them, BB-8, are they hot for pilot?

BB-8  
_That’s classified._

JUDITH  
Love a droid who keeps your secrets. _(a moment)_ I’m done on this end. I’ll head over and rewire at the hyperdrive. Keep an eye out for rats.

POE  
Gotcha.

_Judith and BB-8 exit. Poe sighs and leans back in the pilot’s seat, thinking. After a long moment, a six-legged brown Eriaduan rat emerges from below the console. Poe sees it, and scrambles for something to catch it with without leaving his seat._

POE  
_(shouting over his shoulder) _BB-8! I found a rat!

_BB-8 returns and shocks the rat before it escapes down the hall._


	3. Scene 2

_Exterior of the _Millennium Falcon_, now on Er’Kit (M-6, Er’Kit system, Noonian sector, Outer Rim Territories), parked in a barren desert landscape next to a lone house, which belongs to Judith’s friend Vio. A few loth-cats slink around the shaded side of the house. Poe, Judith, and BB-8 stand at the foot of the ramp._

POE  
You sure we can’t take you any further?

JUDITH  
Vio’s an old friend. I’m gonna lay low for a while.

POE  
Thank you again for the repairs.

JUDITH  
Thanks for the lift.  
  
POE  
Can I… I don’t want to make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do about your wife. We could use someone like you in the Resistance. We’ve smuggled people out of Corellia before.

JUDITH  
Thank you.

POE  
Is there a way I can contact you?

JUDITH  
Like I said, gonna stay put for a bit. But I’ll give you my radio coordinates.

POE  
That would be great. I’ll keep in touch.

JUDITH  
Let me know if you need another therapy session.

POE  
_(laughs)_ I will.

JUDITH  
Before you go, there’s one more thing. Hang on.

_Judith dashes into the house. Poe looks around at the landscape._

BB-8  
_I like her._

POE  
I like her too, buddy. I hope we can get her on our side.

_After a few silent moments, Judith returns with a crate and a bottle of a dark alcohol under one arm._

JUDITH  
Don’t open the crate until you’re on the road. And don’t drink the Old Janx while you’re flying, it’s wicked.

POE  
You don’t have to give us anything.

JUDITH  
A favour for a favour. You’re serious about looking for Sibylle, right?

POE  
Yeah. I’ll try my best.

JUDITH  
Take it. I hope I’ll see you again, Poe.

POE  
I hope so, too.

_They shake hands, and Judith hands off the crate and bottle to Poe._

JUDITH  
See you, BB-8. Say bye to Chewie for me.

POE  
Take care, Judith.

_Poe and BB-8 return to the _Millennium Falcon_. Judith stands in the doorway of Vio’s house and waves them off. The ramp of the _Falcon_ closes, and they take off. After a beat, a small grey loth-cat can be seen jumping onto the console of the _Falcon_._

CHEWBACCA  
_Where the fuck did you get a cat?!_

POE  
Oh, you’ll get along!

_Chewbacca grumbles about the cat as they leave Er’Kit’s atmosphere, then enter hyperspace at full capacity._

_THE END_


End file.
